ACC official, Pereira say they'd eject Jadeveon Clowney for 'The Hit'

[APG]

Dear College Football Officials:

We are begging you. We, the college football fans of America, are down on one knee with our hands clasped in fervent supplication. We beseech you, officials: Do not take this away from us:


We have resorted to begging because two of your number (broadly speaking) said Monday that taking "The Hit" away from us is exactly what they would do. Per radio host Heath Cline, ACC officiating supervisor Doug Rhoads "casually mentioned" during a Q&A at ACC media days that he would have flagged Clowney for "targeting" -- which in 2013 would result in an automatic ejection.

ACC official, Pereira say they'd eject Jadeveon Clowney for 'The Hit' - CBSSports.com

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[Rich]

I always enjoy fans who put great highlights over the health of the players.

[CT1]

In frame-by-frame you can see that Clowney made initial contact with the crown of his helmet, which is illegal.

But in real time, I don't see how any official could pick that up. The play happened almost simultaneously with the handoff, which means the R would still be focused mainly on the QB.

[JRutledge]

That is my position CTI. I just think they are asking us to do things we are not going to easily do. And I do not think it was a target, I think it was just a good hit. After all the runner is leaning forward too, so at what point is a hit just a hit?

Peace

[Welpe]

I saw this on Referee's facebook post.

The crown of the defender's helmet was driven right into the ball carrier's upper chest area. Per 9-1-3 and the Note regarding what is targeting, I don't think you can say this is anything other than targeting under NCAA rules.

The constant drum beat I've been hearing is when in doubt, it is a foul. It is a new paradigm and they have not been ambiguous in how it is to be officiated.

[JKinATL29]

Originally Posted by CT1

But in real time, I don't see how any official could pick that up.

Especially the R who couldn't see the gap between the nose of the football and the inside of the line-to-gain rod in the measurement right before the play! :-P

But in all seriousness...player safety has to rank above entertainment value. If this game had been played under 2013 rules I would not have disagreed with a flag or ejection and I think replay would have supported such a call, although I agree that the speed of the play may have made it difficult to call on the field.

If he had come in with his head up or gone to either side of the RB's body to initiate with the shoulder, it still would have been a great hit and a legal play in 2013!

[CT1]

Originally Posted by JKinATL29

Especially the R who couldn't see the gap between the nose of the football and the inside of the line-to-gain rod in the measurement right before the play! :-P

I had plumb forgot about that!

[bisonlj]

Originally Posted by JKinATL29

Especially the R who couldn't see the gap between the nose of the football and the inside of the line-to-gain rod in the measurement right before the play! :-P

But in all seriousness...player safety has to rank above entertainment value. If this game had been played under 2013 rules I would not have disagreed with a flag or ejection and I think replay would have supported such a call, although I agree that the speed of the play may have made it difficult to call on the field.

If he had come in with his head up or gone to either side of the RB's body to initiate with the shoulder, it still would have been a great hit and a legal play in 2013!

Remember the rule hasn't changed. Only the addition of an ejection to the penalty. If this is a foul in 2013, it was a foul in 2012.

[Steven Tyler]

Looks like good hard football playing to me. He hit the ball with his facemask. The classic fundamental tackle. Clowney was going full speed, what did anyone expect to happen? Ball carrier needs to buckle that chinstrap better. If the helmet doesn't fly off, it doesn't look as vicious.

[Scuba_ref]

Originally Posted by Steven Tyler

Looks like good hard football playing to me. He hit the ball with his facemask. The classic fundamental tackle. Clowney was going full speed, what did anyone expect to happen? Ball carrier needs to buckle that chinstrap better. If the helmet doesn't fly off, it doesn't look as vicious.

The issue is that they are trying to steer football away from the "classic" tackle.

The hit in the video is nearly impossible to rule on live. Having said that, in the POE material for this year they state:

"And contrary to most other rule enforcements, when in doubt, contact to and with the helmet should be ruled as a foul by game officials."

[Steven Tyler]

Originally Posted by Scuba_ref

The issue is that they are trying to steer football away from the "classic" tackle.

The hit in the video is nearly impossible to rule on live. Having said that, in the POE material for this year they state:

"And contrary to most other rule enforcements, when in doubt, contact to and with the helmet should be ruled as a foul by game officials."

Seeing how his head was up, and was going full speed, what do they expect players to do? Trying to steer away from injuries is fine, i. e. chop blocks at the knees. Why not start ejecting players for those fouls. Next time do a better job blocking. That would help more than an ejection.

It's sorta of hard to deprogram players from making good, clean, hard hits. Clowney looks like the very first pick in the draft at this point.

Football has evolved into bigger, stronger, faster. Been pretty much the object of the game for decades.

Something will happen that will this rule will only add more controversy than good.

[Steven Tyler]

Originally Posted by Rich

I always enjoy fans who put great highlights over the health of the players.

Nobody said anything about the player's health being in jeopardy. But as long as you're happy, that's all that matters.

[JasonTX]

Why are they "begging" us? We ain't the ones the write the rules. Go beg the coaches on the rules committee.

[Welpe]

Driving the crown of the helmet into the chest of a player is not a good fundamental tackle. It's a good way to break his own neck. Ergo one of the reasons that illegal helmet contact has been getting so much attention lately.

The game is changing, like it or not.

[scrounge]

While the head of ACC officiating said it was a foul, many others - incl Bill Carollo of the Big Ten - disagreed and said it was not a foul at all. FWIW.